Ten Master Clans

The Ten Master Clans (十師族, jusshizoku) is the title given to the top ten most influential Magic Families in Japan. The power of these houses ascends beyond that of judicial authorities. [1]

There are a total of twenty-eight families worthy of the name Ten Master Clans, and the ten who possess the strongest magic among those families will carry the title. The remaining families which serve as replacements are called the 18 Assistant Houses. [2]

Contents

Background

When it was known that talent in modern society was influenced by one's genetic predisposition, lengths were taken to strengthen one's blood by repeatedly reinforcing their blood ties between the houses. Through this, the Ten Master Clans, along with the Hundred Families, possess a marked difference from those who are not one of them. [1]

Japan's "famous lineages of magicians" has become the most refined application in the world, due to the fact that among the various cultural backgrounds for most developed countries, Japan had the easiest time accepting marriage relationships based on genetic advantage. [3]

Each family's number corresponds to the institute with the same number, but there are families which have a number from one to ten and are not from the Ten Master Clans. [5]

Objective

By using their magic as soldiers, officers, and administrators, the Ten Master Clans are the forefront supporting group of the country. Most of the Modern Magicians in Japan choose this path. [1]

While they don't stand in the center of politics nor have the power in paper, they gain inviolable ascendance on the other side of politics—in exchange of their invaluable support. [1][6]

Doctrine of the Ten Master Clans

The Ten Master Clans stand at the pinnacle of Japan's Magicians. Magicians who bear the name of the Ten Master Clans must be the strongest Magicians in the country. [7]

Responsibilities

Through a series of checks and balances, the Ten Master Clans are to prevent the possibility of Magicians losing control of themselves. This idea was written into the creation of the Ten Master Clans. [8]

The Ten Master Clans have a responsibility towards the Magic Association. [9]

It is the duty of the Ten Master Clans to help civilians in times of crisis. [9]

In the case where each of the Japanese families engage in a battle using magic, there is an obligation to report such information during the Master Clans Conference regardless of the scale. It is a measure stipulated to keep track of any private abuse of magic. [10]

Notifications

Members can send notices to the Heads of the rest of the Ten Master Clans, the 18 Assistant Houses, and the Hundred Families. [11]

Coded missives from Clan Meetings generally take a considerable amount of time to decipher. [7]

The Magic Association have secret lines of communication reserved for the Ten Master Clans. [12]

Master Clans Conference

During the Master Clans Conference, each of the Houses among the Ten Master Clans are equal in status, thus, there is no hierarchy. This is made possible because the meeting is held at a round table. [13]

The unwritten rule is that the chairman, the oldest Family Head during the meeting, becomes the facilitator. [13]

Kudou Retsu presided over the Master Clans Conference as its chairman, three years prior. [8]

Information of the location for the Master Clans Conference is kept confidential. What is said during the meeting is also withheld unless otherwise released. [13]

Selection Meeting

The Selection Meeting is held every four years to decide which of the Twenty-Eight Houses will be members of the Ten Master Clans until the next selection. [14]

If any vacancy occurs in the Ten Master Clans, a member of the 18 Assistant Houses is chosen to fill the missing seat until the next immediate Selection Meeting. [13]

The criteria for any of the Twenty-Eight Houses to be a member of the Ten Master Clans is measured not only by their Magic Power but also their ability to contribute to the nation. [13]

A known date and location for when a Selection Meeting was held—was in February of 2097 at a luxury hotel in Hakone. [13]

Clans

The houses chosen to the Ten Master Clans at the AD 2093 Selection Meeting happened to represent each number from 1 to 10—something that hadn't happened since the inception of the Ten Master Clans. Usually, one or sometimes two numbers were duplicated and others were not represented at all. [2] With the replacement of the Kudou with the Shippou, the usual pattern has reappeared.

Influence

Currently, the two most influential families within the Ten Master Clans are the Yotsuba and the Saegusa. Coming in third are the Juumonji. [16]

The Ichijou Family's influence covers northern Japan, while the Saegusa, Juumonji, and Yotsuba Families have influence in the regions surrounding the capital and the power to act regardless of jurisdiction. [17]

Each of the Ten Master Clans has their respective region which they monitor and have influence over. Status reports for each region are presented at the Master Clans Conference: [13]

Members of the Ten Master Clans enjoy many privileges due to the name of the Ten Master Clans. Although Japan doesn't officially have an aristocracy, in reality the Ten Master Clans enjoy a great degree of freedom outside the bounds of the law. The price for these privileges is that they are required to contribute their power in times of need. [9]

The names for the various Family Heads of the Ten Master Clans is common knowledge among Japanese Magicians. [18]

The Ten Master Clans, who are endorsed by the nation, are prohibited from acquiring formal political power. [19] The rule that members of the Ten Master Clans are prohibited from attaining any high level position within the government was created due to circumstances pertaining to Kudou Retsu. [8]

18 Assistant Houses

Spoiler Alert: This page contains spoilers. Read at your own risk.

The 18 Assistant Houses (師補十八家, shiho jūhakke) along with the Ten Master Clans, all originate from the 10 Magic Institutes in Japan. [21] The strongest of the 28 become the Ten Master Clans while the remainder become the 18 Assistant Houses. [2] This is decided at the Master Clans Conference during the Selection Meeting. [22] All of the 28 Houses possess one of the numbers from 1-10 in their family names, signifying their capability as the greatest Magicians in the country. [2]